AFTER SUICIDE

(still) to-do checklist & due dates:

+ final presentation (TUES, WK 8)

+ draft report due (TUES, WK 8)

....this week has been non stop....and I mean non stop!

MON:  

+ printed final five portraits & quotes (all day - 8PM)

TUES: 

+ practise presentation (done)

+ prepped wall ready for hanging (filled in holes, cleaned etc.)

+ measured, marked and hung my work (yay!)

+ book arrived from blurb (yay! yay!)

THURS:

+ painted a plinth for my book to stand on for presentation day!

+ adjusted lighting for hung prints

...needless to say I was pretty tired by the end of the week! But the long days and hard work was definitely worth it! 

I have to say a special thank you to @carolinelymajorproject​ and @jekophotography​ - without their help I definitely wouldn’t have been able to pull it all together this week!

....we have helped each other, been a great team and I’m so proud of what we all have achieved ♡

// first print done! - four to go (I think I’m in love)

// blurb book arrived - I was pretty nervous and excited all at the same time...

// after suicide - edition 1 - page 1

// measured, marked and masking tapped ready to hang prints (lazer levels are life savers)

// apple boxes are fab when it takes three people to hang each print...

// printing my first final photograph (yay!) - four more to go!

...with only three weeks to go, I have definitely got a lot to complete before I finish. I feel pretty on top of everything, but by no means can I stop! Below is my to-do checklist & due dates:

+ print final five portraits & quotes (MON - TUES WK 7)

+ practise presentation (TUES, WK 7)

+ hang prints at college ready for final presentation (TUES or THURS, WK 7)

+ final presentation (TUES, WK 8)

+ draft report due (TUES, WK 8)

+ final report due (WK 9)

// test printing my edited & scanned polaroids before I sent off my book to blurb

.....this is what I have been doing, pretty much non-stop, for the last few weeks! 

Before beginning this term I knew that my book design and the editing of all the elements that I wanted to include were going to take a long time to complete, refine and perfect in order send it off for printing!

I have printed a lot (and I mean a lot) of test prints on A3 paper but with the help of a special few (you know who you are) I FINALLY SENT OFF MY BOOK THIS WEEK! 

I am really proud of what it has evolved into and I cannot wait to the final result when it arrives next week! (I will definitely be posting about it)

So, so, so much time, blood, sweat and a few tears went into creating my book and these are the stages I completed to get there:

+ typed up all of my subjects my handwritten answers - checked for grammar and made minor adjustments...

+ selected, culled, scanned & edited my quotes

+ culled, arranged, scanned, edited & test printed my polaroids on my photo exhibition paper

+ many adjustments to layout, design, font size & placement

+ edited my final five photographs (for hours) & test printed them on my exhibition photo paper

The countdown is officially on & with only three weeks until I finish college I am on the home stretch....

// editing, editing, editing 

// finally sent off my (nearly 80 page) book to blurb late Tuesday night (WK 6) 

// testing the size of my handwritten quotes on A3 paper & placing them on the wall to gain a visual understanding of what they are going to look like...

// testing the size of my handwritten quotes on A3 paper

2 years today…

you are the reason I am doing this project

you are the reason I have so much passion 

you are the reason I wanted to connect with others

you are the reason I want discussions to be had

you are the reasons I want stories to be heard

you are the reason

r.i.p my girl

// book layout, test one and two

// polaroid selection for my book

+ three polaroids per subject (5) - with a few alternatives on the right hand side!

+ will be shot in studio on Canon 5d Miii later this week or next week (WK 4, T2)

// polaroid placement - ROB B

ABC iview - You Can’t Ask That

Series 2 - Suicide Attempt Survivors

http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/you-cant-ask-that/LE1617H003S00

...after five final shoots over four days (including my own self portrait) I have finished all the shooting for my major project! (big yay!)

It has been a pretty emotional yet such a rewarding week! I have met some amazing individuals and am so happy with the results! 

A huge thank you to all of my subjects who made the effort to come in to studio & more importantly share your story! 

.....& a special thanks has to go to Willy @willywm​ who came into college and helped me photograph myself! My self-portrait was probably the hardest photograph that I had to do, but I’m so glad I did it! 

// me holding me 

+ polaroids were taken of each subject whilst they were on the studio! A last minute decision which I am so happy I did!

// 8PM FRIDAY - finito

// SHOOT DAY 2

...after an understandable cancellation from my morning subject I completed my first shoot with Rob B! It was an amazing way to start my project & I had a fabulous time shooting him! 

It was more than I could've expected to start off my week, so happy with the results and am really looking forward to meeting my other subjects over the rest of the week! (minus the public holiday)

// handwritten text, paperwork & reference photographs

// behind the scenes - ROB

...in the holidays I came into college to set up my studio lighting for my first subject coming in on monday morning! As there is no classes at college in the holidays & not many in the first week of T2 I am able to leave it the whole week!! (yay)

& so it begins! (bring it on)

// raffles studio final equipment list

...after contacting over fifteen organisations relating to youth suicide, writing multiple emails, facebook posts and private messages, & many many weeks of communication I have been so pleased by the response from volunteers wanting to get involved in my project!!!

I have also been so humbled by the response from my friends, family and even strangers encouraging me and supporting the project. It means a significant amount and I’m feeling so positive that this is exactly what I am meant to be doing for my MP with the platform that I have been given.

I believe that discussions need to be had and stories need to be heard....

// potential PROJECT TITLE

....the title of my major project is extremely important to me! It’s something that I will exploring heavily, asking the opinions of others and even experimenting with many other options.

....earlier this week I tested different types of paper stock with a photograph from a previous test shoot

I wanted to do this sooner rather than later so I can order my paper well in advance before I have to print my final photographs. 

I tested: 

+ Canson Infinity BFK RIVES 310gsm

+ Canson Infinity RAG PHOTOGRAPHIQUE 310gsm

+ Canson Infinity EDITION ETCHING RAG 310gsm

+ Ilford Gallery SMOOTH FINE ART PAPER 

I was able to narrow it down to two paper stocks. They are both matte and have a textured finish. I have kept all my test strips and will make my final decision next lesson! 

(**I will order it asap - before term break)

The paper choice for my prints will also link to the paper stock choice for my book - BLURB Proline Uncoated - Uncoated, 100 lb. (148 gsm) 

....after completing my previous test shoot I wanted to get straight back into the studio to test the slight adjustments and equipment changes previously mentioned!

// raffles studio equipment list

// final lighting set up (behind the camera)

// final lighting set up (sketch) with beauty dish on a boom + pack setting updates

+ camera settings: 1/125 F14 - F18 (depending on skin tone) ISO 100

+ tested and shot myself

+ shot with 100mm lens // which was effective and eliminated another element that can be changed (fixed focal length)

+ placed the beauty dish on the boom which, although needs two people to set up and took a little longer to put together, is easier to adjust and allows me to place it exactly at the right angle/height above the subject

+ it also freed up some space behind the camera and made that area less congested

+ had to make some adjustments to the power settings on the packs compared to my previous notes as some lights needed more or less power

// what the subject & myself will see (modelling lights will be turned off for the actual shoots to keep the brightness and heat to a minimum)

// final lighting set (side shot)

+ want to test this lighting set up one more time before final shoots with a range of subjects (who either study or work at college) to come & sit for a few minutes so I can have a better understanding of how the lighting will look on different people, ages, skin tones etc...

photo credits: me